Name-brand vs. Asian monitors: Why pay more for the same technology?

James Sanders compares several monitors from name-brand suppliers and their Asian counterparts. The displays all use the same LG-sourced panels, so why pay more for the same technology?

The expansion of addressable screen space on computer
monitors has historically moved at a very slow pace, punctuated by a sudden
switch to a new display standard. This has created a relative level of
stagnation in terms of display technology; displays aren’t advancing in terms
of pixel density and addressable pixels in the same way that advances occur in
processors, hard disks, and memory. In short: computer displays are not,
necessarily, one of the beneficiaries of Moore’s law.

The other side to this problem is that while specialty
products do exist, they tend to be poorly publicized, obscure, and priced
outside of the range of everyone except the most diehard enthusiasts and the
deep pockets of large corporations, such as the IBM T220, which debuted in 2001
at $17,999 (USD). Luckily, a new series of products are available to consumers,
though quite often, they are far overpriced — particularly depending on what
vendor you acquire them from.

These products are WQHD displays: IPS LCD screens typically
27” diagonally, with a native resolution of 2560x1440, or 60% more pixels than
relatively common and inexpensive 1080p monitors. This is also otherwise known
as a 1440p display. A variety of companies well-known to American consumers
produce WQHD monitors: Apple, Dell, and ASUS, to name a few. There are other
companies that produce WQHD monitors that you probably have not heard of, such
as QNIX, Catleap, and X-Star. The secret behind this, however, is that none of
these companies actually produce the display panel inside these monitors — those
are actually produced by the well-known Korean firm LG.

Bearing that in mind, a price comparison between these
products is in order. Keep in mind that the prices listed include free
shipping in the United States.

Brand-name options

Apple Thunderbolt Display

Apple’s LED Cinema Display, and the essentially identical Apple Thunderbolt Display, are the
two most expensive offerings from name-brand suppliers, at $999 (USD). They both
feature a contrast ratio of 1000:1, brightness of 375 cd/m², and response time of 12ms.
These displays do bring some additional features that few other
products claim to offer: In addition to a 2.1 speaker setup, both offer three powered USB 2.0 ports and a built-in webcam with microphone. The
Thunderbolt Display also offers FireWire 800 and a Gigabit Ethernet port. As the
name implies, the Thunderbolt display connects to (mostly Apple) computers
featuring Thunderbolt ports, and the LED Cinema Display offers Mini
DisplayPort.

Dell UltraSharp U2713HM

The Dell UltraSharp display is the second-most expensive
offering from a name-brand supplier, at an MSRP of $799.99 (USD), though pinning down
a price on this is challenging. At the time of this writing, Newegg
offers it at $699.99 (USD), Amazon for $639.99 (USD),
and Dell
actually offers it at $559 (USD). It features the same contrast ratio as the Apple
products above, while being marginally darker at 350 cd/m² and faster with a response
time of 8ms. Though it lacks any speakers, it has a 4 port USB 3.0 hub built
in. It connects to computers using D-Sub (VGA), DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort.

ASUS PC278Q

This monitor is something of an honorable mention in the brand-name category, as it isn’t quite up to par with the displays offered by Apple and
Dell above, but it does come at an attractive price. The MSRP is
$759.99 (USD), though Newegg currently offers it at $559.00 (USD), and B&H
offers it for $554.10 (USD). The PC278Q is only a PLS display, not a
higher-quality IPS display, so photographers and others who require precision
color reproduction should take note. Gamers may well find it to be a better
option, however, as this monitor offers a 5ms response time. Also, at 300
cd/m², it is darker than
the other displays. Like the Dell UltraSharp, it connects via D-Sub (VGA), DVI,
HDMI, or DisplayPort, but it lacks the USB 3.0 hub. Unlike the Dell display,
it features two 3W stereo speakers.

The competition

In searching for Korean monitors, it is vital to keep a few
things in mind. First, these devices are most often sold by third-party
organizations on Amazon or eBay, with eBay typically having the best price.
Second, these monitors typically don’t have onboard scalers (“AD Board”),
constraining their use to desktops only, and require the use of a full DVI-D
(Dual Link) port.

Crossover 27Q

The Crossover 27Q, available from eBay seller bigclothcraft for $338.50 (USD),
is one of the better options available in the world of Korean-sourced WQHD
displays, at an impressive 380 cd/m²
brightness and 6ms response time. It also features a pair of 3W speakers. Of
note, the power adapter for this particular display isn’t a standard barrel-pin
arrangement, so finding replacement adapters may be a challenging task.

QNIX QX2710

The QNIX QX2170, available from eBay seller accessorieswhole for $319 (USD), is
one of the most affordable and relatively cheap Korean-sourced monitors. Much
like the PC278Q, it is a Samsung-produced PLS display at 300 cd/m². It features a marginally
slower 6ms response time, and marginally better pair of 5W speakers, compared
to the 3W pair from the ASUS model.

Monoprice 27” IPS-G Pro

The somewhat bafflingly named IPS-G Pro from Monoprice is a rather deluxe WQHD monitor that currently costs $418.62 (USD). At a purported
440 cd/m², it is the
brightest of the bunch, with a response time of 6ms. It also has, for the
category, the distinction of having an onboard scaler, allowing users to
connect using VGA, DVI-D (Dual Link), DisplayPort, and HDMI.

Oddball honorable mentions

With an article about niche monitors from Asian suppliers, I
would be remiss in failing to include these rather unique products.

LG 29EA73-P

On September 18th, LG will release the 29EA73-P,
a 29” display with a native resolution of 2560x1080. As opposed to a 16:9
display, as has been discussed in this article, the ratio of this display is
21:9. Driven by an IPS panel with 5ms response time, 300 cd/m² brightness, and a pair
of 7W speakers, it is one of the most interesting panels commercially available
at the moment. Newegg currently offers it for $499.99 (USD), though the MSRP is $649 (USD).

Crossover 30Q5

Not everyone likes the 16:9 aspect ratio, and for those who
need something with a little more height, the Crossover 30Q5 is the best bet.
The WQXGA, or 2560x1600 display, is an impressive display at 370 cd/m² and 5ms response time. As is
standard, it requires a DVI-D (Dual Link) port. It can be purchased from eBay seller accessorieswhole for $599 (USD).

Conclusion

Overall, the monitors available are far more user-friendly
than the IBM T220, and they're much easier on the wallet. While it might be something
of a stretch to say that 1440p displays are a better value than simply
attaching two 1080p displays, it can be easier than arranging a multi-monitor
setup and has the added benefit of only taking up one plug on your UPS.
However, the options available from the off-name brands appear to be every bit
of quality kit as the name-brand options, this owing largely to using the same
panel suppliers.

By James Sanders

James Sanders is a technology writer for TechRepublic. He covers future technology, including quantum computing, AI, and 5G, as well as cloud, security, open source, mobility, and the impact of globalization on the industry, with a focus on Asia.

Full Bio

James Sanders is a technology writer for TechRepublic. He covers future technology, including quantum computing, AI, and 5G, as well as cloud, security, open source, mobility, and the impact of globalization on the industry, with a focus on Asia.